Friends,
This is an urgent request. Join me today in calling this number to demand support (478) 488-8059 for a Clean DREAM Act.
Our young people, our daughter, Luz Valenzuela Zamora, included, are currently in Washington, D.C. with United We Dream staging hourly protests. She, and all of our youth there, are a source of pride like no other for those of us who have labored and struggled for freedom and justice for all throughout our lives.
You can in fact dial (478) 488-8059 multiple times as the number cycles through offices. In addition to our own Senators here in Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, I've already placed 6 calls since yesterday and got a chance to connect each time with a different member of Congress with this same number. Simply call and urge them to pass a clean DREAM Act and tell them how important it is to you. You can and should also call your own specific Congressional members. Go to this link to get their names and contact info.
Everyday that Congress fails to pass the DREAM Act, 122 young people lose their DACA status and run the risk of deportation. C'mon everybody. These young people are already exemplary, law-abiding individuals who want nothing more than to stay in a country they already call their home.
You must know that without DACA our country could lose a whopping 20,000 teachers currently working as teachers in our nation's classrooms (see U.S. could lose an estimated 20,000 teachers, many bilingual, as DACA is phased out).
As you can read from this story, several are already in dire straits after having gotten arrested outside of the offices of Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer and New York and Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo. They are not provding them their names and they are on a hunger strike.
You can keep up with the movement at this link: United We Dream
-Angela Valenzuela
#NoDreamNoDeal #Dreamact #daca#CleanDREAMAct #DreamActNow
7 Dreamers Arrested During Sit-In At Schumer And Curbelo Offices
The so-called "Dreamers" refused to provide their names and fingerprints, and all agreed to go on a hunger strike, a media rep said.
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| https://patch.com/district-columbia/washingtondc/7-dreamers-arrested-schumer-curbelo-offices |
By Daniel Hampton, Patch Staff | | Updated
A Facebook post on behalf of Erika Andiola said she was among those arrested, and said they plan to remain jailed until Schumer and Curbelo publicly confirm they have enough votes to block any spending bill that doesn't come with a "clean Dream Act."
President Donald Trump eliminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, in September, cutting off all new applications and providing a six-month window for renewal applications from recipients whose permits were set to expire between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018.
"DACA recipients are demanding that Members of Congress block any spending bill that does not include a clean DREAM Act," according to the advocacy group Fight For Our Dream.
In a video of the sit-in at Schumer's office, one man said Schumer has a responsibility to listen to his constituents and demands Schumer support a clean Dream Act.
"As Minority Leader, he has the capacity to gather all the democrats to stand up for the community that he says he supports so much," the unidentified man said. "As a Dreamer and a New Yorker, I am here making that demand. And I will not leave until he listens to what we're saying."
Andiola, who describes herself as a native of Durango, Mexico, on the organization's website, and the others will remain held in police custody until at least Tuesday morning, her Facebook post said. Candice Fortin, a media representative for the group, said the arrestees refused to give their names and fingerprints. There was an arraignment Saturday, she said, and none are cooperating.
"Right now they are refusing to give their names and fingerprints," she said. "It's basically acting as a jail strike."
They're scheduled to appear Tuesday for a trial before a jury, Fortin told Patch.
"They also are all in agreement to do a hunger strike," Fortin said. "They refuse to eat."
Andiola's Facebook post said they had been brought before a judge and the government asked to hold them in response to their noncooperation. Attorneys for the seven did not oppose the hold, in accordance with their clients' wishes. They believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, was contacted regarding Andiola.
A message left with ICE wasn't immediately returned.
"Every day they are in police custody the danger of additional ICE engagement and then deportation grows, as it grows for all undocumented youth with each day that goes by without passage of the Dream Act," the Facebook post said.
Andiola's profile said her family came to America to escape domestic violence.
"I am risking arrest today because there are thousands of people who are losing hope, who feel attacked and this is the time for us to model courage and to stand together because that was the only way we were able to win DACA in the first place," the website said. "That's how will we win the Dream Act now."
She said they are "undocumented and unafraid."
Curbelo represents southern Florida's 26th congressional district, which includes Monroe County and parts of Miami-Dade county. He was first elected three years ago.
Patch wasn't immediately able to reach pre-trial services, Schumer's office, Curbelo's office, or the DC Department of Corrections.
Photo credit: Candice Fortin
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